Closure



April 26, 1938.

G. LESTI CLOSURE Filed Aug, 31 1935 INVENTOR I 7 ATTORNEY 5 cwsuna m une, oiuo Amara. up 31-, 1935, Serial No. 38,837

This invention relates to closures and-more particularly to a scalablecontainer and the method of its manufacture. v i a I In the past various constructions for scalable proof sheet material and the like, have been developed that have had clamping means','r'olled edge means andthe like, for sealing the mouth portions of the containers to prevent water and 1 air from passing therethru. Most of the constructions that have been developed heretofore have been so involved in operation or so cumbersome-in structure that they have failed of gen-f eral commercial acceptance.

An object of the present invention is to provide 'a molded waterproof container that has a'positively sealing closure means that effectually seals the mouth of the container against the passage of air or water therethru and that'is simply and easily operated to provide access into the interior of the container. 3 Another object is'to provide a bathing trunk pouch for the retention of cigarettes, matches and the like, that may be immersed in water for a prolonged period of time without the entrance I of water into'the'lnterior thereof. H

Another object is to provide a container or pouch for the retention of articles from which water and air are to be excluded that is of simple and inexpensive manufacture.-

With the above and other objectsin view, which" will be apparent to those'skilled in the art to' which the present invention-pertains from thefollowing description, the present invention comprises a waterproof container that-is illustrated by a waterproof bathing trunk pouch as shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1' is an elevational view of the bathing trunk pouch with an upwardly opening mouth 0 that is provided with the preferred form .of pouch mouth sealing means; Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-4- of Fig. 1; a

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section of the upper '45 portion of Fig. 2: I

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail plan view of one end of the closed pouch mouth;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section partly bro ken away, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevation that shows the pouch mouth'positioned transversely of the pouch face for the purpose of improved drainage:

Fig. 7 is an elevation that shows the pouchmouth positioned along a lateral edge of the 55 pouch for the purpose of improved drainage;

, Fig. 8 is an enlarged section of one modified form of pouch mouth seal construction wherein the mouth .sealing means is disposed inwardly a of the fastener means: 1 containers of the class formed of flexible, water- Fig. 9 is an enlarged section of a second modifled form of pouch mouth seal construction wherein the mouth sealing means is disposed outwardly of the fastener means; and

Fig. 10 is a section taken along the line il-ifl 'Of Fig; 9.

, l0 container or pouch that embodies the present invention comprises a hollow, preferably continuously homogeneous'body' portion of resilient rubber that is molded to form a single piece constructionthat comprises the side walls i, the bottom edgewall 2, the lateraledge walls 7 I, the belt loops 4 thru which the bathing trunk belt 5 may be passed, and the plurality of outer 'and'inner pairs of pouch mouth portions 6 and 1 respectively. The pairs of pouch mouth portions 8 and i are separated longitudinally by slots for the reception, preferably by assembly, of the rubber impregnated fabric stringers 8 that carry the conventional interengageable slide fastener interlocking elements 9. The fabric stringers [are 'flrmly secured within the slots in the ,pouch mouthportions i and I in any suitable manner, as by vulcanization, or by the use of rubber cement. 'Ihe slider iii causes the engagement or the disengagement of the interlocking elements I j as the pull tab Ii is moved longitudinally of the pouch mouth.

The heavy shoulder constructions of the pairs of pouch mouth portions I and I provide ample thrust strength to uniformly and strongly compress the opposed pairs ,of contact faces I! and. 13, respectively, thereof, asrthe interlocking fastener elements I are progressively interengaged by the operation of the slider ii. The individual contact faces that comprise eachl contacting pair when disengaged preferably incline slightly toward each other away from the slide fastener eie-' ments in section, as shown emphasized in dotted outline.

The slider stem portion it that is interposed a between the slider lo and thepull tab n is pref- The sectional contour of the stem ll preferably reduces to a minimum the size of the apertures between the stem l4 and the pair of contact 5 2 V 7 2,115,424 faces I! of the pair of outer pouch mouth portions in which water drops might be retained and also minimizes the tendency of the pair of. contact .faces l2'of the outer pouch mouth portions 6 to become pitted from frictional wear. 'lhe section of the stem II that is shown in Fig. 4 as being substantially wedge-shaped may be re-.

, placed with a stem, both of the edges of which ly embedded therein that maintain the surface converge symmetrically from the middle of the stem in close conformity with the curvature of the contact faces I! of the outer pouch mouth portions I, somewhat as is shown in Fig. 10 ofthe drawing, if desired.

The inner pouch mouth portions 1 are preferably continuous at either end with a longitudinally extending slider underlying portion ii that is continuous with the pouch sidewalls l transversely of the pouch and with the lateral edge walls I longitudinally of the pouch. The slider underlying pouch portions l5 preferably contain the stiffening reinforcing members I 6 permanentof the portions I! level so that the slider il in its extreme positions may be smoothly position wholely above the portions i5.

This construction provides, in'the closed position of the pouch mouth, a continuous, uniformly compressed engagement thruout their lengths,v

of the contacting faces I! and ll of the pouch mouth portions i and I respectively, with the slider ll disposed wholely above the slider underlying pouch portion IS. The endsof the pouch mouth may be open as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, or may be closed as shown in Fig. l0, whlchis the more desirable construction.

The pull tab ll may be Joined to the slider ii rigidly as shown, or, if desired, it may be hingedly connected thereto in any of the several conthe closure means prior to the openingof the ventional styles.

II in its fully closed position by any of. the accepted conventional constructions, if desired.

The sealing closure means may, if desired, be

positioned in various relations with respect to V the pouch to improve the drainage of water from mouth of the pouch, such as its being positioned in the face of the pouch at an inclined angle with the edges thereof, as is shown in- Fig.-6, or' along a side edge of the pouch, as is shown-in Fig. 7 of the drawing.

A modified form of the sealing closure is shown in Fig. 8 of the drawing, wherein the sealing means is disposed .wholely beneath the slide fastener securing means. i

In this construction'the heavily shouldere pouch mouth portions I! have opposed contact faces II that incline slightly toward each other in cross section away from the slide fastener when'not in secured position, as shown in dotted outline, to provide a tight, uniform contact pressure on the interengagement of the interlocking elements O as the slider II is drawn longitudinally of the pouch month by the operation of the pull tab I I. The interlocking element carrying stringers l are permanently secured in stringer receiv- .ing grooves that extend longitudinally of the shoulder pouch mouth portions .il in a suitable manner, as by vulcanization or by the use of cement.

' A second modiflcationof the closure means is shown in Fig. 9 of the drawing, wherein the'sealing means is disposed wholely outwardly of the slide fastener securingelements.

In this construction the opposed shoulder pouch A slider retaining clasp, not shown, may also be provided for holding the slider emphasized in dotted outlines to provide a uniform, tight contact therebetween when the hookless fastener elements are in secured engagement.

The interlocking hookless fastener elements 9 are slidably engaged by the sliderdl that is Joined to the pull tab 22 by the stem 23 that is preferably of thin, streamlined cross section, as shown-in Fig. 10. The stem 23 is preferably tapered inv transverse section in both directions in order that the presence of apertures between its sides and I the contact faces Ill may be minimized. The re-'v inforcing means 24 is disposed at either end of the pouch mouth and arrests the motion of the stem 23 longitudinally thereof.

The preferred method of manufacturing the pouch comprises a'. single molding operation whereby no seams open from. inwardly of the pouch to the exterior thereof with the exception of the mouth portion opening, thereby providing a construction that is substantially intact against the transfer of air or water thru the walls of the pouch. i

It is to be understood that the particular, embodiments of the invention that are shown and described herein are shown for purposes ofillus trationand explanation, and that various modiiications in the materials, the shapes, the mode of assembly and the adaptations that are shown and described, may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims. 1

What I claim is: r

1. A waterproof closure, comprising a rubber body portion having a mouth, a pair of opposed shoulder members structurally continuous with said body portion and defining the mouth for said body portion, shoulder member contact faces in transversely angularly opposed relation with each "other, closure mouth closing means, and means slidably disposed between said 'contaot'faoesin substantialiywater sealing relation therewith for operating said. closure mouth closing means.

2. A container closure, comprising a pair of transversely compressible and heavy andreleasably contacting shoulder members, slide fastener stringers anchored within said shoulder members and extending longitudinally thereof, aplurality of slide fastener elements carried'by said stringers, contact faces forming releasably contacting parts of said shoulder members and inclining toward each other transversely of said shoulder members away from said slide fastener elements,

a slide fastener slider for causing the engagement and the release of said slide fastenerelements and the compressing contact of said-pairs of con tact faces of said shoulder members in uniform.- ly graduated magnitude away from said slide fastener elements; and a slider-stem portionof substantiallyoval section disposed between said.

pair of shoulder member contact faces in sub-,

stantially water and air sealing engagement 7 therewith thruout its travel. 7 V 3. A container closure, comprising transversely heavy and opposedshoulder members of resilient rubber, compression contact shoulder member faces in angular relation with each other transversely of said shoulder members and symmetrl- 1 cally supported thruout their wide areas of con-' tact by said heavy shoulder members, slide fastener stringers securely anchored within said shoulder members and extending longitudinally thereof, a plurality of interengaging slide fastener elements carried by said stringer members, a slider for successively causing the interengagement and the release of said slide fastener elements, and a pull .tab for operating said slider.

4. A container closure, comprising transversely opposed heavy and thick shoulder members of resilient rubber composition, compression contact shoulder member faces substantially continuously contacting each other in pairs transverse- 'ly angular of said shoulder members and in uniformly increasingly compressing relation toward one edge thereof, slide fastener stringers securely anchored within said shoulder portions, 9. plurality of interlocking slide fastener elements car-' ried by said stringers, a slider for successively causing the interengagement and the release of said elements, a pull tab for operating said slider and accessible externally of said closure, and

v a slider stem portion Iof substantially streamlined transverse section interposed between and operatively connecting said slider with said p'ull tab and disposed between one pair of said compression faces in substantially water sealingrelation therewith.

5. A closure mouth aperture that is releasably scalable with respect to air and water, comprisforming a closure mouth, closure means for engaging said rubber strips in opposed compressing relation, and said rubber strips engaging each other in surfaces that incline toward each other transversely thereof and away from said closure means.

GEN O LESTI. 

